About Heritage

Founded in 1973, The Heritage Foundation is a research and educational institution—a think tank—whose mission is to formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense.

We believe the principles and ideas of the American Founding are worth conserving and renewing. As policy entrepreneurs, we believe the most effective solutions are consistent with those ideas and principles. Our vision is to build an America where freedom, opportunity, prosperity, and civil society flourish.

Heritage’s staff pursues this mission by performing timely, accurate research on key policy issues and effectively marketing these findings to our primary audiences: members of Congress, key congressional staff members, policymakers in the executive branch, the nation’s news media, and the academic and policy communities.

The Heritage Foundation’s research staff is organized under three Institutes, each devoted to developing policies grounded in conservative principles that will strengthen our economy, our society, and America.

The Institute for Economic Freedom and Opportunity seeks to promote a stronger economy and consists of the Thomas A. Roe Institute for Economic Policy Studies, the Chief Economist's Office, the Center for Trade and Economics, and the Center for Data Analysis.

The Institute for Family, Community, and Opportunity promotes a stronger society and consists of the DeVos Center for Religion and Civil Society, the B. Kenneth Simon Center for Principles and Politics, the Center for Health Policy Studies, and the Domestic Policy Studies staff.

The Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Institute for National Security and Foreign Policy promotes a stronger America and consists of the Douglas and Sarah Allison Center for Foreign and National Security Policy, and the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom, the Asian Studies Center, and the International Studies staff.

Working in conjunction with all three Institutes are Heritage’s Edwin Meese III Center for Legal and Judicial Studies and the Research Editing staff.

The Heritage Foundation combines the three key elements necessary to achieve conservative policy successes -- effective research, superb communications, and first-rate advocacy. The Research, Strategic Communications, and Policy Promotion teams, supported by the Development Team and working with the leaders and advocates at Heritage Action for America and its team across the country, pursue conservative policies to help Americans build for themselves a better life.

Governed by an independent Board of Trustees, The Heritage Foundation is an independent, tax-exempt institution. Heritage relies on the private financial support of the general public—individuals, foundations, and corporations—for its income, and accepts no government funds and performs no contract work. Heritage is one of the nation’s largest public policy research organizations. Its hundreds of thousands of individual members make it the most broadly supported think tank in America.

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Financial Information

At The Heritage Foundation, we want you to know that your generous donation has been wisely spent to advance conservative principles. That's why we make our financial information available to you and our hundreds of thousands of members nationwide. Click here for our Financials page.

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Heritage analysts help members of Congress and their staff prepare for congressional hearings by providing valuable insight on foreign or domestic policy issues. Congressional staffers come to Heritage regularly to receive custom-tailored briefings on the latest Heritage research related to their committee assignment or legislative priority.

The conservative movement includes a wide array of think tanks, scholars, public-interest law groups, activists, philanthropists, film makers, and many others working to spread the idea that liberty is the best way of governing society. We feature some of the best work being done by conservatives and pro-liberty activists around the world.

Heritage offers young conservatives from around the country Washington’s best internship program. Through our Student Virtual Think Tank, young conservatives can interact with Heritage policy experts on their campuses. For those visiting Washington, the Young Leaders Program will host a briefing about Heritage and policy issues.

ABOUT The HERITAGE FOUNDATION

The Heritage Foundation is the nation’s most broadly supported public policy research institute, with hundreds of thousands of individual, foundation and corporate donors. Heritage, founded in February 1973, has a staff of 275 and an annual expense budget of $82.4 million.

Our mission is to formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense. Read More